


Sweet Disposition

by SoonerThanLater



Category: One Direction (Band), Tom Daley - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-22
Updated: 2012-09-22
Packaged: 2017-11-14 19:08:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/518543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoonerThanLater/pseuds/SoonerThanLater
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Our rights, our wrongs... Kate knows she can't keep running forever. </p><p>One Direction University AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sweet Disposition

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my first fic that I'm posted to AO3- so I'm quite excited! That being said, this is a bit of a tester just so I get the hang of using this site. 
> 
> I had a lot of fun writing this so I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with One Direction in any way. This is 100% pure fiction.

Sweet Disposition

            “Hey… Kate? Can you pick me up?”

            “Harry? I thought you were out with Nick?”

            “Yeah, well there’s been a change in plans.”

            “Where are you?”

            “On the corner by the diner.”

            “Right, I’ll be right there.”

            “You’re one in a million, Kate.”

            “And you’re an idiot. Hold tight, Haz.”

 

            Kate tossed her phone onto the bed, where it landed next to Zayn’s reposed form, before getting up in search for her clothes.

            “Want me to come with you?”

            Zayn’s words maneuvered past the cigarette pressed between his lips and directed towards Kate. But his eyes indicated that his attention was drawn to an advertisement in a magazine where its graphic design sparked a new idea for his next tattoo.

            Kate shook her head as she pulled her jeans on and zipped the fly. “And what? Explain why you and I are alone together?”

            “Point taken.” Zayn nodded absent-mindedly. “What do you think about a dragon tattoo? You know, to show some ferocity?”

            “I think there are more ways than one to show you’re ferocious.”

            Zayn’s eyes snapped up to meet Kate’s fully dressed figure. It wasn’t until she finished scrambling around the messy room to make sure she had everything in her purse when she finally looked back to see a mischievous grin on Zayn’s face.

            She groaned, finally exasperated. “You know what I meant! Christ, Malik. Not everyone thinks about sex all the time. Not everyone is like you.”

            “And thank heavens for that. I don’t think the world can handle more than one of me.” He smiled smugly.

            “That’s the most sense you’ve made all night.” Kate smiled as she zipped up her leather jacket. “See you around, Malik.”

            Zayn flipped the page in the magazine. “See you around, Hale.”

 

            The streets were vacant except for a lone figure sitting at the curb by the retro-themed diner when Kate pulled up a short distance away in her old blue Mini Cooper. The dim street lamp and lights shining through the windows of the buildings outlined his silhouette, including the unmistakable mass of dark curly brown locks and long lean torso that could only belong to Harry Styles.

            Upon seeing her car, Harry jumped to his feet animatedly and flashed a bright wide smile that illuminated from the car’s headlights shining in front of him. Kate smiled back and turned the volume up on the car stereo. _Sweet Disposition_ engulfed the car in sound.

            “ _Won’t stop til it’s overrr_!” Harry sang as he slid into the front seat of the car.

            “ _Won’t stop til we surrender_ ,” the two friends sang as Harry closed the passenger door with a loud thud.

            Kate’s surprised screech evolved into a delighted laugh as Harry tackled her with a hug.

            “IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou!” Harry muttered in her ear, and suddenly, Kate could feel a heavy weight in the air around them.

            She pulled away tentatively, her hands clasped to his elbows as she took in the wetness glazed over his wide green eyes.

            Kate spoke slowly and maintained eye contact. “Harry? What happened? Why aren’t you with Nick and his party? I thought you were supposed to be celebrating his birthday.”

            Harry’s eyebrows furrowed in a way that only accompanied distress, and his eyes lost their usual light.

            “I thought we were all having a great time… But I really only knew Nick. All of his friends were older. Which I really didn’t mind. But I dunno, I guess they minded because when I went to the bathroom and I came back, they were gone.”

            Kate nodded. It took years of being Harry’s mate in order to understand the hidden words, the masked feelings, the veiled meanings. Having a conversation with Harry sometimes felt like a treasure hunt. If you find the treasure in the end, it turns out to be Harry’s heart in a gilded chest.

            “I’m sorry about, Nick,” Kate consoled. “I know you really liked him.”

            Harry’s eyes seemed to snap back into clarity. “Nick and I are still friends.”

            His hopeful tone nearly broke Kate’s heart.

            “But he left you. He literally left you because his friends told him to ditch you. I don’t think that’s the kind of people who you should be surrounding yourself around.”  

            Harry snorted. “You’re starting to sound like Louis.”

            “We just care about you.”

            Harry looked down at his phone and flipped it in his hand. “So where were you before this?” He observed her outfit: dark wash skinny jeans, leather jacket over a black sequined top, and black Keds. “Hope I didn’t interrupt your plans for the night.”

            Kate shook her head. “Of course not!” Which was true since his call had perfect timing: right after she and Zayn had finished getting off. It saved them from the usual awkward conversations that would have eventually ensued. “If you want we can still head over for a bit. Enjoy the free beer.”

            Harry initially looked dubious at the suggestion, but then his eyes set in a steely resolve. “Sounds fine. But I’m going to need something stronger than beer.”

 

            “Hey, Kate?”

            “Yeah, Harry?”

            “You know what I want?”

            “What do you want, Haz?”

            Harry grinned before belting out in his deep rough voice, “ _Yo! I’lltellyouwhatIwantwhatIreallyreallywant! Sotellmewhatyouwantwhatyoureallyreallywant!_ ”

            Kate giggled as Harry jumped onto the wooden coffee table and thrust his hips to the 90s music that blared throughout the house.

            The party was still raging when the two friends arrived just half an hour ago. Harry scrounged the kitchen for a bottle of vodka with great success. And after a few shots each, they giggled uncontrollably and sought for control of the music selection. As a result, they subjugated the whole house to various British pop and rock bands alike. No one seemed to mind as most of the attendees were already too far gone to care. Harry and Kate felt like they were the only partygoers and acted as such. They also felt like they were seven years old again, having recently discovered Harry’s older sister’s Spice Girls album collection, and sung and danced unashamedly to the pop music.

            “ _If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends. Make it last forever, friendship never ends_ ,” they sang in imperfect harmony.

            The duo collapsed in a heap of tangled limbs and awkward angles onto the empty leather couch just behind them.

            “No one can handle us!” Harry cried stupidly, tugging at Kate’s shoulders so that she faced him.

            Kate blew hair out of her eyes and chortled. “Especially people named Nick and Tom.”

            “Ahhh—yes. Tom, the bastard.” Harry nodded slowly. “What a bastard.”

            “The biggest bastard.” Kate concurred.

            “Biggest bastard that ever lived.”

            “Not really. But he’s still a bastard.”

            “Have we talked about how he’s a bastard?”

            “Yes, I think so.”

            “Why is he a bastard again?”

            Harry’s question seemed to sober Kate up quite a bit.

            Ultimately, she shrugged. “I can’t remember.”

            “You guys just split a couple of weeks ago. What do you mean you can’t remember?”

            “It means I can’t remember.” Kate said sluggishly.

            “Oh.” Harry’s gaze wandered to the far side of the room.

            Kate could feel his body stiffen under her legs.

            “Kate? Why is Zayn Malik staring at you?” He asked tentatively.

            Kate followed his gaze across the smoky room, half filled with inebriated teenagers and littered with various articles of clothing as well as cans and bottles of alcoholic beverages. Sure enough, Zayn Malik (now fully dressed and with newly styled hair) had his eyes trained on Kate as he sipped on his bottle of Corona languidly.

            “I dunno. Maybe he’s stoned out of his mind. Looks that way, don’t it?”

            Harry took in the bags under the boy’s heavy-lidded eyes. “Maybe.”

            Suddenly, a voice cried out a short distance away. “AYE!”

            Kate struggled to regain some air after a body crashed into hers and the wind was temporarily knocked out her.

            “Liam!” Harry groaned from underneath the muscular lad. “Lay off the protein shakes would you?”

            “Only if you lay off the Tommo!” the older boy quipped.

            At that, Harry blushed furiously. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Li.”

            Kate squirmed out from underneath the boys and reached for a bottle sitting atop an end table. A hand grasped her wrist before she reached it and suddenly, she found herself looking into piercing blue eyes.

            “I think you’ve had enough, Katie. Don’t you?”

            Kate pouted. “Lou!” She whined, “Just one more drink, I promise!”

            Louis Tomlinson’s hard resolution did not falter as his grip only tightened. “No, because I want to go home. But before I can do that, I have to make sure you and Harry get home safely.”

            “But, sweet cheeks!” Harry chimed. “Why drive us home when we can just crash at your house!”

            Louis’ mouth formed a tight, thin line. He refused to be sucked into those undeniably innocent green orbs. “In case you’ve forgotten, I must remind you that I have four young impressionable sisters at home. And I’d rather not have to explain why there is a naked Harry Styles on our couch.”

            Four minutes later, Harry and Kate climbed into the backseat of Louis’ car. Harry draped his legs over Kate’s thighs as he rested his head against the fogged up window.

            Louis started and car and drove for about five minutes before cracking the icy air.

            “So word on the street is that you and Zayn hooked up, Kate.”

            Harry’s head snapped towards Kate, his eyes filled with disbelief. “Well that’s total bullocks isn’t it?”

            Louis sneered at Harry’s bewilderment when he saw Kate practically shrink in her seat.

            Kate drew in a sharp breath before confirming, “A few times actually.”

            At this, Louis gripped the steering wheel tighter.

            “Wait. What?” Louis screeched.

            Harry was speechless. But his eyes pleaded for an explanation to the madness. After all, that is exactly what this whole thing was. Complete madness.

            “After Tom and I broke up, I was just so angry… Angry with myself mostly.” Kate looked down at her hands and picked at her cuticles nervously. “In short, I went out with Liam that night because I just wanted to forget. I didn’t… I didn’t want it to hurt anymore. Zayn was there and he offered to help me feel better. And he did. For a short while anyway.”

            The two boys didn’t say anything. But they didn’t pass judgment on their friend either. They never passed judgment, and that’s why Kate loved Louis and Harry.

            Louis spoke the unsaid words, “And you two are not going out.”

            “Definitely not.” She scoffed.

            “If you wanted a mindless shag, I’m offended you didn’t call me up first.” Harry teased with a cheeky grin, poking Kate’s ribs.

            “Oi! That’s not even funny!” Louis snapped.

            Kate’s eyes glinted with mischief. “What’s the matter, Lou? Jealous?”

            “No!” Louis cried all too quickly, making Harry cackle.

            “I think he’s jealous.” Harry grinned.

            “I am not!” Louis glared into his rearview mirror at the two of them, secretly happy Kate’s flat was only a block away.

            At this point, Kate grew irritated at how Louis beat around the bush when it came to accepting his feelings for Harry. So she grabbed Harry’s face and kissed him. Hard.

            “Oi! Alright! Break it up!” Louis cried indignantly from the front seat after parking in front of Kate’s building.

            Harry chuckled against Kate’s lips, sending a tickling vibration through her body, causing her to giggle.

            “We have the flat to ourselves for the night, eh Kate?” Harry winked after they pulled apart.

            Kate could hear Louis groan when she replied, “Yes, all to ourselves. We can do _whatever_ you wish.”

            “I’m never one to deny a lady,” Harry said as he opened the car door to the curb. “So be creative.”

            At this, Louis let his forehead fall with a thud at the top of the steering wheel. He grumbled incoherently as Kate slid out of her seat.

            “Thanks for the lift, Boo!” Harry cooed while waving into the window facing Louis.

            Louis flipped him off, his forehead still pressed against the hard plastic of the wheel.

            Harry laughed and wrapped a supporting arm around Kate’s middle as they stumbled along together into the building.

            Louis watched them disappear behind the door.

            When Louis parked in the driveway of the home he shared with his mum and sisters, his phone beeped with a new text.

            _From: Sunshine_

_Don’t worry. You’ll always have my heart. Good night, Boo. xx_

A small smile spread over Louis’ face as he text back.

            _To: Sunshine_

_No worries. Love you forever, Curly._

            Louis dreamed sweet dreams that night.

 

            Back in Kate’s flat, Harry and Kate shared whispered words.

            “You should really tell him how you feel, Haz.”

            “But he’s my best friend. I don’t know…”

            “You guys have been together for the past two years, and you both haven’t even realized it. And I’m not just saying to put a label on it. I just want you to be honest with him.”

            “Yeah, like how you were honest, Tom?”

            “Don’t even say it.”

            “I will because you need to hear it. Tom is mad about you. And don’t even deny it. He’s been moping around campus for the past two weeks. Meaning _you_ were the one to end things. Why?”

            “First of all, Tom doesn’t ‘mope’—”.

            “That’s what you think. But you didn’t see him add salt to his coffee, take a sip, and not even bother to order a new cup.”

            “That’s not moping, that’s just disgusting.”

            “And when I told him he can always come to me if he needs anyone to talk to, he just looked at me all serious. And he said. ‘The only person I want to talk to is Kate’.”

            “Now you’re lying.”

            “Just a bit of dramatic flair, darling.”

            “Like we need more drama?”

            “Well you’re going to get more of it if you don’t tell me why you ended things with Tom.”

            “Alright, alright… He gave me his dad’s wristwatch.”

            “… So… did you not like how it looked? Or—.”

            “No! It’s beautiful actually. But… It belonged to his dad. And his dad is just so important to him. It just felt like…”

            “He was giving a piece of himself to you?”

            “Yeah.”

            “And it scared the living shit out of you?”

            “Fuck, yes. I mean, it was like he was handing over his horcrux.”

            “Except for the fact that he’s not a dark wizard.”

            “Precisely.”

            “And you didn’t think you were ready to make that commitment? You guys were already dating for two years.”

            “Time means nothing though. He could wake up tomorrow morning and realize he doesn’t love me and then he’ll feel silly for giving me the watch in the first place.”

            “But don’t you think taking a chance will be worth it?”

            “Just… Goodnight, Harry.”

            “Goodnight, Kate.”

 

            Monday morning crept up on the university campus, much to the dismay of both students and faculty alike. By nine o’clock, Kate settled down to her second cup of coffee after sitting through a painful hour of listening to a professor drone on about the subject of biochemistry. The patrons in the café where she sat bustled around her, rushing about to scrounge some caffeine and sustenance for their next class, as she dutifully took out her notes to see if she made any sense of the lecture she just attended.

            But it seemed like the morning had other plans for her.

            “Hey.”

            The sight of Tom Daley standing mere feet away made something crumble inside Kate. It could have been either her resolution or the wall she had been trying to build the past couple of weeks. She had a feeling it was probably both.

            She smiled, a genuine smile (to her surprise). “Hey, Tom.”

            Tom seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at her welcoming demeanor, glad that she didn’t shun him away. But to be honest, he had no idea what he was expecting.

            “Mind if I join you? I’m done with classes for the day.” His hand rested tentatively on the back of the chair opposite her.

            “I know, and of course you can.”

            She shook her head, feeling guilty that he was acting like a stranger and not someone who had shared the past three years of their lives together.

            Tom pulled the chair out and sat down with a bright smile on his face. Kate missed seeing that smile. It was obvious he tried to make the situation less awkward and more “normal” as he wordlessly tugged a couple of books from his bag and set them on the table. After all, this used to be their Monday morning routine. Kate would grab a table after her morning lecture to make sure she and Tom had seats. Tom usually ran a bit a late since he had swimming practice. However, the only thing missing was Tom’s breakfast Kate would usually have waiting for him.

            “Sorry I didn’t get you anything to eat. You must be starving,” Kate apologized. She had no clue why she was apologizing. Perhaps it was a habit.

            Tom laughed as the tension left Kate’s shoulders.

            “Don’t worry about it, you didn’t know I was coming.” He shrugged it off and pulled out a breakfast sandwich still perfectly wrapped in paper. “I got something along the way.”

            The corners of her mouth tugged into a small smile before she returned to the notes laid in front of her.

            It was a nice morning.

 

            “So how have you been?”

            The morning’s study session morphed into an afternoon lunch rather quickly. So over lunchmeat sandwiches, Kate only felt it appropriate that she reciprocate Tom’s civility towards her. After all, she felt that she didn’t even deserve his attention and friendship at this point. And she truly wanted to know how he was getting on. She had worried about him.

            Tom contemplated the question and chewed a little more before answering, “The past couple of days? I’ve been fine. Before that though, it’s been a bit shitty.”

            His voice never wavered and his eyes never left Kate’s. She believed him.

            “I… I’m really sorry.” She spluttered out.

            A wave of exasperation clouded Tom’s eyes, and it didn’t escape her notice. Her mouth clammed up and she didn’t want to say any more.

            “Don’t.” He said. “Please don’t apologize. Never apologize for being honest with me. Because that’s what you did. You were honest. And I’ll always appreciate it.”

            Kate wiped her hands with a napkin and shook her head. “I’ll always feel horrible though. Until things are ok between us.”

            “Is that how you feel? Horrible?” The space between Tom’s eyebrows wrinkled as he looked at her with worry.

            She was about to tell him all about Zayn. About how only the night after she had left Tom at his flat, she attended a party. Zayn was there, and he helped her forget all of the regrets she hoarded from the night before.

            And now, she wanted to forget them all over again.

 

            Zayn’s flat made her feel grimy. She hated the way his lips left bruises at the base of her neck. She hated it when he called her princess before asking her to go down on him. She hated it when he tried to convince her that the experience would be so much better if he didn’t wear a condom. She hated how all she could think about is Tom as she rode out their climaxes.

            Kate hated how Zayn didn’t make her forget.

 

            


End file.
